St. Louis Ambush Announce Change of Ownership

NEW OWNERSHIP GROUP FOR THE ST. LOUIS AMBUSH

St. Charles, MO, October 6, 2016 – The St. Louis Ambush professional indoor soccer club announced a change in ownership at a press conference held today at the Family Arena. Ambush Soccer Club LLC has acquired certain assets including the right to operate the St. Louis Ambush professional indoor soccer franchise in the MASL.  The new ownership group consists of Tony Glavin, Will and Shelly Clark and Dr. Elizabeth Perez.

Glavin was hired as Head Coach of the Ambush in December, marking the return to the indoor game of one of the sport’s legends. He was a midfielder/forward for the Steamers from 1980 to 1985. He also began his coaching career with the Steamers, serving as Assistant Coach from 1985 to 1987 and Head Coach from 1987 to 1988. He finished his indoor playing career with the Kansas City Comets, where he was Assistant Coach from 1989 to 1990 and player/Assistant Coach from 1990 to 1991. He also served as Head Coach for the Dayton Dynamo in 1990.

In 1994, Glavin founded the Tony Glavin Soccer Club in Cottleville. The club started with 11 youth teams in 1994 and has grown to over 30 teams today. In 2005, he was awarded a franchise in the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League (USL PDL). That franchise became the St. Louis Lions and Tony has served as Head Coach since the team’s inception. Glavin also manages the Tony Glavin Soccer Complex, a 19-acre facility with five outdoor and one indoor fields.

Will and Shelly Clark have been part of the current Ambush ownership group since the beginning. They own Cardinal Surveying & Mapping, LLC and Cardinal Continuing Education, LLC. Shelly has a Bachelors of Science in Education from Kent State University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She is also a Land Surveyor in Training in Missouri.
Dr. Elizabeth Perez joined the Ambush ownership group in July. She is a Chiropractor and owner of Perez Family Chiropractic in St. Charles. A St. Charles native, Dr. Perez is a wife and mother of four. She received her Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Logan College of Chiropractic. She has obtained an advanced degree in Rehabilitation, a certification in Veterinary Orthopedic Medicine and is currently working on her certification in Functional Medicine.

Along with his wife Leah, Andrew Haines was part of the original ownership group that formed the Ambush in 2013. They revived the Ambush name that was used by the original Ambush franchise in the 1990’s. Over the last three seasons, the team ranked third in the league in both average and total attendance. During the recent off-season, Andrew and Leah Haines relocated to Florida and kicked off an expansion franchise, the Florida Tropics. Andrew said, “I have mixed emotions about this move. The people in St. Charles and the entire St. Louis area have been absolutely wonderful to us. Leah and I have made some lifelong friendships here. The support we received from fans and sponsors has been overwhelming. I originally intended to try to hold onto both franchises, but realized that giving my full attention and energy to one is in the best interest of both clubs. The Ambush will be in good hands under the direction of the new ownership group and our excellent front office staff.”

With the Lions and his other soccer ventures, Glavin has shown a consistent commitment to the St. Louis and St. Charles soccer communities. He said he is looking forward to expanding his role. “I am grateful for this opportunity to continue my involvement in our great soccer community. As Head Coach and Co-Owner of the Ambush, I will work hard to give our fans a successful product both on and off the pitch.”

Shelly Clark praised the Haines’s commitment to professional soccer in St. Louis. “After seven years without a team in St. Louis, Andrew and Leah took a chance on us. They built a solid foundation over the past three seasons. Now it’s up to the new ownership group to build on that foundation and attain future success for our fans and that’s exactly what we intend to deliver.”

The Ambush kick off the pre-season next weekend when they travel to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to tangle with the Rampage in a pre-season friendly on Friday, October 7. The next night, the two teams meet again at the Family Arena for a second pre-season contest this Saturday, October 8. The Saturday match will be part of the annual Fan Fest, which will include inflatables for the kids from Twist and Bounce, LLC outside the arena from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. with the first kick slated for 7:00. Following the match, fans will be able to come down on the turf to meet players and get autographs.

The Ambush will commence their 2016-17 home schedule on November 19 at the Family Arena. The team will compete in the Central Division of the 17-team Major Arena Soccer League. The complete season schedule is available on their official website, stlambush.com. Season and group tickets are available now. Call the Ambush office at 636-477-6363 for more information.